When different types of data such as data for a character, data for a table, and data for an image are used, it is necessary to use different structures for defining these types of data and different editing operations for these types of data. Therefore, various application programs corresponding to types of data are prepared. A user uses an application for each type of data, that is, the user uses a character processing program in order to edit characters, a table computing program in order to edit tables, and an image editing program in order to edit images.
Thus, it is common that a user uses an application program for each type of data. However, as a document to be prepared by a user, a document constituted by a plurality of types of data such as characters and tables or characters and images is more common than a document constituted by one type of data such as only characters, tables or images. Therefore, to prepare a purposed document including a plurality of types of data, it has been necessary for a user to print data for each of various applications by using a printing function provided for the application and combine printed matters in a desired sequence.
Moreover, some of programs referred to as the so-called office suite for forming one integrated application by various types of applications provide a function for combining data values generated by various applications and constituting one document. By using the integrated application, a user can integrate data values generated by applications into one purposed document by a specific application included in an integrated application.
Moreover, a system (POD: Print On Demand) is spread in recent years which stores documents such as a manual, catalog, and meeting material in the form of electronic documents and prints only a necessary number of copies according to necessity. The POD system uploads a document file prepared by a user to a printing management server and the operator of the printing management server makes the server print the document file. In the case of this system, when an operator first designates printing of a document to be printed, the above content designation is converted into an electronic document on a printing management server as a printing designation document (generally referred to as a job ticket) and the job ticket information is entered in the printing management server instead of designating a printer to be used, a format to be used, and a function of the printer to be used for printing every time like the case of normal printing. Thereby, it is possible to obtain the same output format every time even if there is no printing document preparer.
Moreover, some of the systems are provided with a function for decentralizing processings to a plurality of printers previously entered in order to increase a printing speed. Furthermore, there are some systems having a function for executing substitute printing by a previously designated printer in order to secure printing even if a designated printer cannot be operated due to a trouble. When using the above function, a printing designation described in a printing designation document (job ticket) is similarly transmitted to a plurality of printers so that the same result can be obtained from any printer. Furthermore, to output different conditions (e.g. the number of copies) by a plurality of printers, it is necessary to enter each job ticket in a printing management server.
Thus, in the case of the conventional POD system, it is necessary to previously enter a job ticket in a printing management server. Moreover, to use a function of the POD system such as decentralization printing, it is necessary to use the printing management server of the POD system and therefore, a problem occurs that the cost increases.
Therefore, a printing system has been considered in recent years which has a decentralized printing function for directly generating printing jobs for a plurality of printers by a client PC. In the case of the printing system having the decentralized printing function, however, it is necessary to set each printer driver to be decentralized for printing whenever a client PC executes a printing designation and always require a printing document preparer.
Moreover, when a user prepares one purposed document by combining printed matters according to various applications, for example, in order to assign a page number to each page, it is necessary to once print out all necessary data, form the data into a document, and decide page numbers to be assigned. Then, a decided page number is written in each page of a manuscript (this is referred to as a logic page or manuscript page) prepared by each application. Even when an application program has a function for assigning page numbers, if there is a discontinuous portion, a user must designate a page number for the portion. Moreover, when rearranging pages of a purposed document, it is necessary to reassign page numbers in accordance with the rearranged pages. Furthermore, even when not changing contents of data but changing only formats such as a case of integrating a plurality of manuscript pages into one page as a printed matter (this is referred to as a physical page or printed page) or changing one-side printing to both-side printing, it is necessary to retry edition and printing depending on an application.
Thus, because an application capable of managing a type of data depends on the type of data, it is necessary that a user manually provides an interface between applications. This represents that a lot of labor is required for the user and deteriorates productivity. Moreover, an error easily occurs because many hands are used.
Moreover, when preparing a purposed document by using an integrated application, it is possible to arrange various data values in the form of data without printing out the data. Therefore, labor is not required compared to the case of preparing a purposed document by combining printed matters. However, applications for editing and preparing various data values are restricted to those included in an integrated application and therefore, an application desired by a user cannot be always used. Moreover, a purposed document prepared by an integrated application is one document file and edition and outputting are managed for every file. Therefore, to set a format to a part of a document file, there are many restrictions due to functions of applications and operations for setting a format every portion where formats are changed and performing reprinting are necessary. Therefore, a lot of labor is required and the productivity is deteriorated the same as the case of the above method.
Furthermore, in the case of the above prior art, a problem occurs that when functions of a plurality of printers are different from each other between the printers designated as printers for performing decentralized printing or substitute printing, it is impossible to simultaneously communicate designations set in a printing designation document to a plurality of printers as common data.
Usually, a user designates printing setting through the printer driver UI of a printer to be used for printing, the designation is input to the printer driver of DEVMODE serving as a data structure provided by an OS through the OS, the printing setting information native in the printer driver is written in the DEVMODE, the setting of the DEVMODE is read in the printer driver under printing, and print data is generated. In this case, the DEVMODE is a data structure provided by the OS, in which an already specified standard portion and an extended portion that can be freely used by each printer vendor are present as described later. Therefore, a portion that can be used by the structure of the DEVMODE is the standard portion through which it is possible to know the configuration of the structure of the DEVMODE.
However, there is a problem that the content of printing setting set in the extended portion which can be comparatively freely described but through which the configuration of the DEVMODE cannot be known unless the specification is separately obtained can be understood by only the printer driver written in the DEVMODE which internally knows the specification of the extended portion or cannot be understood by an integrated application for performing decentralized printing.